Spring snowstorm makes a mess for commuters in the Northeast

The fast-moving storm will begin to subside by the afternoon, but not before hitting New York City and other areas with the most snow seen in April in years.

The morning rush hour in Brooklyn, New York, on April 2, 2018.Drew Angerer / Getty Images

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April 2, 2018 / 3:47 PM GMT / Updated April 2, 2018 / 5:33 PM GMT

By Elizabeth Chuck, Kiara Alfonseca and Associated Press

An unusual April snowstorm wreaked havoc on the morning commute in the Northeast on Monday, dumping snow and slush on an area stretching from Ohio to coastal southern New England.

Thankfully for snow-weary residents, Monday's storm was fast-moving — with messy roads expected to clear up within hours.

"It's definitely a quick system," said NBC News meteorologist Sherri Pugh. "By early afternoon, we should be done with the snow on the East Coast."

Some areas were hit with just a dusting of snow, while others got close to 7 inches. By mid-morning Monday, parts of Fairfield County, Connecticut, had received up to 6 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. In New Jersey, the village of Ridgewood got 6.5 inches, the agency said.

Winter weather advisories were in effect in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, as well as parts of southern New England, although the advisories were all set to expire by 2 p.m. ET.

A man walks dogs during a snowstorm along the Brooklyn Promenade in New York on April 2, 2018.Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Still, Mother Nature didn't waste any time, dumping snow at a rate of 2 inches per hour early Monday morning at New York's LaGuardia airport. Flights were delayed at both LaGuardia and New York's John F. Kennedy airports, as well as at Newark Liberty airport in New Jersey, and a handful of flights were canceled.

In Connecticut, more than 100 schools were delayed or closed due to slick roads, reported NBC affiliate WVIT in Hartford. In New Jersey, New Jersey state police tweeted that there were 53 motor vehicle crashes, including an overturned tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike in Springfield Township, on Monday morning.